I propose a program of combined observational and theoretical work in support of the venus climate orbiter akatsuki mission. On the theoretical side, i have previously developed a microphysical…

This federal contract award to The Regents of the University of Colorado, doing business as the University of Colorado Office of Contracts and Grants Division, supports a program of combined observational and theoretical work in support of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency's Venus Climate Orbiter Akatsuki mission. The $535,925.17 grant will fund the University's development of a microphysical model of the Venusian atmosphere to aid in the analysis of cloud structure and evolution data from the mission's IR2 and UVI instruments. The University will also apply its prior experience analyzing VIRTIS-M-IR and VIRTIS-M-VIS data to interpret Akatsuki's observations. This interdisciplinary research aims to enhance the scientific understanding gained from the Akatsuki mission. The award was made directly by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration with no set-aside designation.

I propose a program of combined observational and theoretical work in support of the venus climate orbiter akatsuki mission. On the theoretical side, i have previously developed a microphysical model of the lower and middle clouds of venus that includes a radiative-dynamical feedback. I propose to extend this model to include the upper clouds and hazes of venus, and to use that model to aid in the analysis of cloud structure and evolution that will emerge from the analysis of data primarily from the IR2 and UVI instruments on board akatsuki. On the observational side, i have previously analyzed virtis-m-IR data in an effort to quantify the evolution of individual cloud features observed in the near infrared spectral windows. The same tools that i used for that analysis can be applied to the imagery to be returned by the IR2 instrument. Understanding the nature of the evolution of the cloud features will aid in the interpretation of the wind measurements derived from the tracking of these features over time. More recently, i have been working with virtis-m-VIS data to elucidate the sulfur dioxide concentration and distribution in the upper atmosphere of venus. This work will prove beneficial in anticipation of concurrent observations with UVI on akatsuki and virtis-m-VIS on venus express. Because my experience, covering both observational and theoretical perspectives, is applicable to the research goals of several of the akatsuki instruments, i will also be able to provide an interdisciplinary perspective to the analysis of the mission data.